Sign Of The Times // A.H

Chapter 3 - Dinner and Diatribes

"Oh god.." You whispered under your breath, "uhm- sorry. Didn't mean to run into you, could you possibly grab me that bottle up there please?" You asked Aaron and he was stunned until he played along and you whispered the address of the house as he reached and handed you the ibuprofen. "Thank you so much, sir."

"N-No problem," he gulped and watched you walk off, Gavin looking at him again before wrapping his arm around you to play it off so no one watching found it suspicious. Aaron however didn't catch on and thought it was genuine because you didn't flinch at all. His heart broke into pieces and he walked out of the store.

"Was that him?" Gavin whispered and you nodded, "did you tell him?" You nodded again, "good girl," he rubbed up and down your arm as you reached Aria and Colin. Aria looked like she was about to have a panic attack and you both noticed.

"Uhm sir, could Aria and I use the restroom?" You asked and Colin hesitated before he shoved Aria toward you and you walked to the bathroom. "A breathe, okay?? What happened?" You held her and guided her through breathing exercises. Her body felt cold and small as it shivered and trembled under your touch.

"He said something about a plan..but I don't remember what I-I'm sorry-" she choked and you rubbed her back, your anxiety now through the room but you hoped Aaron heard what you said and was on his way there.

You screamed into the rag as you swung your body around but it only caused you to lose circulation in your arms that were suspended above your head. The cold cement of the room stung your cut open feet as you kept struggling. Colin finally came into the room and dried off his red-stained hands.

"I have decided you are too much. Now, I cannot kill you or my son would hate me. I need to make sure you stay here," he explained and you froze in fear as he put on gloves and grabbed rubbing alcohol and another rag. He walked over to you and poured the liquid onto the folded rag. When it hit your lower stomach where your ovaries sat, you flinched due to the cold but didn't move afraid of what he was going to do. 

You couldn't speak because he tied a rag around your head that held a softball, so you were homemade gagged and could only scream and make noises that came from your throat. You watched him carefully as he continued to wipe an area of your stomach and you wondered if he was going to tattoo you or something.

"So I have made the choice. To make sure you stay here, and if you escape, you will be found just with this mark." He continued, yep...he's going to tattoo you. That's not so bad though when you can get it removed. He walked over to the table and stood there for a second until you both heard a ding from the antique stove across the room. 

Colin walked over and looked inside before pulling out a stick that illuminated an orange tint. You looked at it curious until your eyes widened when you realized it was a branding stick. You struggled more and more, begging the best you could to not let him do it. He was too focused on not listening to your pleas and you whipped around, drool now falling down your chin as you tried forcing the gag out.

Colin didn't say anything as he got closer and you stopped moving, your body locking tight and trying to back away from it as it inched closer to you. You whimpered and he looked into your eyes, lifting your chin so you looked at him. He took off your gag with a smirk, "I want everyone to hear you scream," was his last words before you felt immense burning on your stomach.

You screamed out in pain until your throat became raw and he pulled back the stick and put it away. You looked down dizzy and your vision focusing in and out as you could almost hear the skin dying on your body as if burned away. The pain was unbearable and you moaned in pain as it soared throughout your whole body. 

"Now you really belong to me, now heed my advice, young lady." Colin grabbed your face and squeezed your tear-stained cheeks, "listen to what I say, and you and your friends won't get hurt...badly." He undid the shackles and you fell to the ground in a weep. You laid flat on your back to ease the pain as tears fell down your face and went toward your ears. Colin handed you a shirt and forced you to wear it and stand up no matter how bad the pain.